Nadkarni dropped from USA squad

Ten of the 14 players who played for USA at ICC WCL Division Three in Hong Kong, including vice-captain Sushil Nadkarni, have been replaced for the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament from July 18 to 23 in Florida.

"Sushil Nadkarni, for me and the rest of the selectors, is an ODI player, a 50-over player," chairman of selectors Sew Shivnarine told ESPNcricinfo on Monday. "In T20 you've got to have fitness and you've got to be strong out there. Sushil is a good batsman. I'm not taking anything away from Nadkarni, but in T20 we need fitness. That's one of the main reasons."

Nadkarni finished fourth overall on the runs list at the first ever USACA Twenty20 nationals on June 18 and 19 in New Jersey. Last year in Bermuda, Nadkarni, 35, was USA's leading run-getter when they won the inaugural ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 Championship.

Among Nadkarni's many astonishing feats was a 54-ball century in 2010 against Cayman Islands, one of USA's opponents next month. USA will also be squaring off against Suriname in the tournament, a side Nadkarni blitzed for a career-high 197 in 2008.

Since making his debut for USA at the ICC Americas Division One tournament in 2006, no one has scored more runs while representing the national team in that time span than Nadkarni. He has 1538 runs in all forms of cricket including four centuries and nine fifties. He was the Man of the Series at ICC WCL Division Four in Italy last August but had a disappointing series in Hong Kong, scoring 105 runs in six innings with a high of 47 against Italy.

Among the other players dropped was left-arm spinner Asif Khan, a former first-class cricketer in Pakistan, who made an impressive debut for USA in Hong Kong with six wickets in five innings. He also made a vital contribution with the bat against Oman, scoring an unbeaten 31 as part of an unbroken 71-run ninth wicket partnership in a two-wicket win. At the USACA Twenty20 Nationals, Khan took four wickets in two matches, including three batsmen out stumped. When asked to explain why Khan was left out, Shivnarine responded, "Who's Asif Khan?" He did not sound as though he was being sarcastic.

Japen Patel, Nauman Mustafa, Quasen Alfred, Bhim George and Samarth Shah are the five uncapped players who have been brought into the squad.

"I think Shah is a good left-arm spinner. At the trials, he impressed the selectors," Shivnarine said. "We feel that Shah is fitting in that team as the extra left-arm spinner. The primary left-arm spinner is Bhim George. The coach wanted extra spin so that's why we have Shah in the team. Japen Patel scores a lot of runs in his league. He's one of the big run-getters in the Atlanta area. We see a lot of talent in him. We can use him as an allrounder. He's one of the fittest guys in the team and I think he deserves to be in that 14 because we feel that he has a lot of potential for the future."

Clayton Lambert will return to coach the team in Florida. No captain has been named yet According to Shivnarine, the intention was to select Neil McGarrell, the former West Indies spinner, and make him the captain but he still does not qualify to play for USA because he has not been a resident for a minimum of four years prior to the start of this tournament.

So, really Asif Khan is left out because Shivnarine don't know him. Let's refresh his memory:

While Asif was the #2 wickettaker for the USA team in HongKong, and the 4th-highest wickettaker in the 20-20 Nationals, Ghous got 0 wickets on the tour of HongKong, and 0 wickets in the Nationals (!!)... and still got picked to the team as a spinner while Asif did not!

Thank You to one of our dear friend who put these stats together. CER isn't in good books of USACA's administration and this is now obvious. What a shame and waste of talent in US ... yet again !

dummy4fb
on June 29, 2011, 12:18 GMT

Sushil was a serious threat to Steve's Massiah's captaincy hence the easiest way to miitigate this risk is to get him out of the team. that's exactly what these jokers have done. I am also suprised at the exclusion of Ryan Corns from the team. Was there any reason for this? He definitely is the rising star of US cricket and did reasonably well in Hong Kong with the limited opportunities he got..

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 23:14 GMT

Everyone else has said it all, Mark and Yogi in particular. The only thing I'll add is that Sushil is a complete cricketer in every sense of the word, and not having him in the side hurts the US chances- PERIOD.

The "lack of fitness" excuse is a joke.

247cricketer
on June 28, 2011, 21:19 GMT

Bunch of old cricketers become selectors when they have old knowledge of the game. What made them drop Sushil from the team? They need to answer. It's all politics and it is a clear indication given to all players. The ground condition was so bad during the T20 in New Jersey. Who was responsible for it? Can't we have better ground conditions. And adding to it they drop key players from the team. Even Steve Massiah should have been dropped for bad captainship last year. Unfair selection for sure.

TexanCricketer
on June 28, 2011, 16:10 GMT

What a joke this is. Who is Sew Shivnaraine? and Who is Clayton Lambert? Arn't these the same guys who made a 46 year old Asst. coach to play in a game and sit out the three fit young guys sit on the bench to serve the water? This nothing but the outright punishment for the CW player who is the highest scoring player for Team USA in last 5 years. Its time to get right people to select and manage team instead of puppets like Shiv and Lambert for Dainty and his mafia. Yes Charlie Javed was fit when he went on last trip where he can't run to reach for a ball to make a dolly catch? Sushil is a big striker of the ball one of the best player for any format of the game. Its a disgrace for a coach to say"Sushil Nadkarni, for me and the rest of the selectors, is an ODI player, a 50-over player," chairman of selectors Sew Shivnarine told ESPNcricinfo on Monday. "In T20 you've got to have fitness and you've got to be strong out there." Its nothing but the politics at the highest level.
Yogesh P

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 15:34 GMT

Steve Massiah should not be the captain of this or any other representative team. The man has no class nor leadership ability. Having captained the US team to the worst defeat in Division 2 to be demoted 2 divisions is no basis for re-selection. His run ins with umpires in Hong Kong have met with re-selection as well. Go figure.
The man has no class. When beaten twice last year while captaining his NY team in the nationals, he refused to shake hands with my team, NWR and the SWR. A prima donna, and spoiled brat.
He showed his lack of class again at the T20 Nationals when he was beaten again by Atlantic. He left the ground almost immediately with his entire team, who follow his leadership style. At captain of the National team, he should have been there to congratulate players who beat him and who performed well. He was absent.
Selectors and coach Lambert have the class to select a man of class and leadership to lead the National Team! It reflects on who you are!

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 15:03 GMT

Nadkarni was left out because he is from the wrong region, CWR, which is at odds with the USACA chief for the last few months. As for Asif Khan, he is from CER, another region you dont want to be from given that they just booted out their USACA rep, a long-time ally of the USACA chief. Sew can say what he wants but US selections are not based on cricketing reasons.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 14:22 GMT

The reality is if you produce, have a history of accomplishment, are the leading run maker, have destroyed the upcoming opponents, are the 4th leading run maker in the so called "Nationals", then expect to not be picked. The basis for de-selection is to ignore history, ignore statistics, ignore a long history of accomplishment and especially a players recent performances in the Regionals and Nationals.
It was refreshing to know that the so called selectors were actually living breathing people. When I asked the Hon John Thickett, treasurer in Chief of USACA, who the selectors were and if the selectors were in attendance at the Nationals last year, I was told it was not my business to ask such questions. None attended the Nationals last year or even the Western Regionals.
How sad to make excuses when a player like Sushil performs and is still excluded. Maybe it is time to select some real selectors.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 14:04 GMT

The best selection would be to not name Massiah as captain. The man has no class. He is not a leader. My team played the team he captained, NY, in the Nationals last year in Florida. After beating NY by 130 runs, Massiah refused to shake hands with any member of my team and walked off like a pathetic three year old who just had his toys taken away. He behaved the same way the following day when the SWR thoroughly beat him.
Massiah showed his lack of class again at the T20 Nationals when his team was beaten in a very close game in the semi final against Neil McGarrel's Atlantic. The captain of the US Team, Massiah, left the ground almost immediately and was not at the prize-giving. Captains of national teams have an obligation to behave like leaders. Massiah is NOT a leader but a spoiled prima donna who lead the US to a demotion of two divisions last year in Honk Kong. He has run ins with umpires in Hong Kong but was never sanctioned by USACA. How could he be captain?

SettingSun
on June 28, 2011, 9:03 GMT

I don't think this guy should be criticised for not knowing one of his players. After all, you would get a similar answer if you asked the England selectors about Adil Rashid.

KrikFreak
on June 29, 2011, 14:54 GMT

So, really Asif Khan is left out because Shivnarine don't know him. Let's refresh his memory:

While Asif was the #2 wickettaker for the USA team in HongKong, and the 4th-highest wickettaker in the 20-20 Nationals, Ghous got 0 wickets on the tour of HongKong, and 0 wickets in the Nationals (!!)... and still got picked to the team as a spinner while Asif did not!

Thank You to one of our dear friend who put these stats together. CER isn't in good books of USACA's administration and this is now obvious. What a shame and waste of talent in US ... yet again !

dummy4fb
on June 29, 2011, 12:18 GMT

Sushil was a serious threat to Steve's Massiah's captaincy hence the easiest way to miitigate this risk is to get him out of the team. that's exactly what these jokers have done. I am also suprised at the exclusion of Ryan Corns from the team. Was there any reason for this? He definitely is the rising star of US cricket and did reasonably well in Hong Kong with the limited opportunities he got..

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 23:14 GMT

Everyone else has said it all, Mark and Yogi in particular. The only thing I'll add is that Sushil is a complete cricketer in every sense of the word, and not having him in the side hurts the US chances- PERIOD.

The "lack of fitness" excuse is a joke.

247cricketer
on June 28, 2011, 21:19 GMT

Bunch of old cricketers become selectors when they have old knowledge of the game. What made them drop Sushil from the team? They need to answer. It's all politics and it is a clear indication given to all players. The ground condition was so bad during the T20 in New Jersey. Who was responsible for it? Can't we have better ground conditions. And adding to it they drop key players from the team. Even Steve Massiah should have been dropped for bad captainship last year. Unfair selection for sure.

TexanCricketer
on June 28, 2011, 16:10 GMT

What a joke this is. Who is Sew Shivnaraine? and Who is Clayton Lambert? Arn't these the same guys who made a 46 year old Asst. coach to play in a game and sit out the three fit young guys sit on the bench to serve the water? This nothing but the outright punishment for the CW player who is the highest scoring player for Team USA in last 5 years. Its time to get right people to select and manage team instead of puppets like Shiv and Lambert for Dainty and his mafia. Yes Charlie Javed was fit when he went on last trip where he can't run to reach for a ball to make a dolly catch? Sushil is a big striker of the ball one of the best player for any format of the game. Its a disgrace for a coach to say"Sushil Nadkarni, for me and the rest of the selectors, is an ODI player, a 50-over player," chairman of selectors Sew Shivnarine told ESPNcricinfo on Monday. "In T20 you've got to have fitness and you've got to be strong out there." Its nothing but the politics at the highest level.
Yogesh P

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 15:34 GMT

Steve Massiah should not be the captain of this or any other representative team. The man has no class nor leadership ability. Having captained the US team to the worst defeat in Division 2 to be demoted 2 divisions is no basis for re-selection. His run ins with umpires in Hong Kong have met with re-selection as well. Go figure.
The man has no class. When beaten twice last year while captaining his NY team in the nationals, he refused to shake hands with my team, NWR and the SWR. A prima donna, and spoiled brat.
He showed his lack of class again at the T20 Nationals when he was beaten again by Atlantic. He left the ground almost immediately with his entire team, who follow his leadership style. At captain of the National team, he should have been there to congratulate players who beat him and who performed well. He was absent.
Selectors and coach Lambert have the class to select a man of class and leadership to lead the National Team! It reflects on who you are!

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 15:03 GMT

Nadkarni was left out because he is from the wrong region, CWR, which is at odds with the USACA chief for the last few months. As for Asif Khan, he is from CER, another region you dont want to be from given that they just booted out their USACA rep, a long-time ally of the USACA chief. Sew can say what he wants but US selections are not based on cricketing reasons.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 14:22 GMT

The reality is if you produce, have a history of accomplishment, are the leading run maker, have destroyed the upcoming opponents, are the 4th leading run maker in the so called "Nationals", then expect to not be picked. The basis for de-selection is to ignore history, ignore statistics, ignore a long history of accomplishment and especially a players recent performances in the Regionals and Nationals.
It was refreshing to know that the so called selectors were actually living breathing people. When I asked the Hon John Thickett, treasurer in Chief of USACA, who the selectors were and if the selectors were in attendance at the Nationals last year, I was told it was not my business to ask such questions. None attended the Nationals last year or even the Western Regionals.
How sad to make excuses when a player like Sushil performs and is still excluded. Maybe it is time to select some real selectors.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 14:04 GMT

The best selection would be to not name Massiah as captain. The man has no class. He is not a leader. My team played the team he captained, NY, in the Nationals last year in Florida. After beating NY by 130 runs, Massiah refused to shake hands with any member of my team and walked off like a pathetic three year old who just had his toys taken away. He behaved the same way the following day when the SWR thoroughly beat him.
Massiah showed his lack of class again at the T20 Nationals when his team was beaten in a very close game in the semi final against Neil McGarrel's Atlantic. The captain of the US Team, Massiah, left the ground almost immediately and was not at the prize-giving. Captains of national teams have an obligation to behave like leaders. Massiah is NOT a leader but a spoiled prima donna who lead the US to a demotion of two divisions last year in Honk Kong. He has run ins with umpires in Hong Kong but was never sanctioned by USACA. How could he be captain?

SettingSun
on June 28, 2011, 9:03 GMT

I don't think this guy should be criticised for not knowing one of his players. After all, you would get a similar answer if you asked the England selectors about Adil Rashid.

No featured comments at the moment.

SettingSun
on June 28, 2011, 9:03 GMT

I don't think this guy should be criticised for not knowing one of his players. After all, you would get a similar answer if you asked the England selectors about Adil Rashid.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 14:04 GMT

The best selection would be to not name Massiah as captain. The man has no class. He is not a leader. My team played the team he captained, NY, in the Nationals last year in Florida. After beating NY by 130 runs, Massiah refused to shake hands with any member of my team and walked off like a pathetic three year old who just had his toys taken away. He behaved the same way the following day when the SWR thoroughly beat him.
Massiah showed his lack of class again at the T20 Nationals when his team was beaten in a very close game in the semi final against Neil McGarrel's Atlantic. The captain of the US Team, Massiah, left the ground almost immediately and was not at the prize-giving. Captains of national teams have an obligation to behave like leaders. Massiah is NOT a leader but a spoiled prima donna who lead the US to a demotion of two divisions last year in Honk Kong. He has run ins with umpires in Hong Kong but was never sanctioned by USACA. How could he be captain?

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 14:22 GMT

The reality is if you produce, have a history of accomplishment, are the leading run maker, have destroyed the upcoming opponents, are the 4th leading run maker in the so called "Nationals", then expect to not be picked. The basis for de-selection is to ignore history, ignore statistics, ignore a long history of accomplishment and especially a players recent performances in the Regionals and Nationals.
It was refreshing to know that the so called selectors were actually living breathing people. When I asked the Hon John Thickett, treasurer in Chief of USACA, who the selectors were and if the selectors were in attendance at the Nationals last year, I was told it was not my business to ask such questions. None attended the Nationals last year or even the Western Regionals.
How sad to make excuses when a player like Sushil performs and is still excluded. Maybe it is time to select some real selectors.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 15:03 GMT

Nadkarni was left out because he is from the wrong region, CWR, which is at odds with the USACA chief for the last few months. As for Asif Khan, he is from CER, another region you dont want to be from given that they just booted out their USACA rep, a long-time ally of the USACA chief. Sew can say what he wants but US selections are not based on cricketing reasons.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 15:34 GMT

Steve Massiah should not be the captain of this or any other representative team. The man has no class nor leadership ability. Having captained the US team to the worst defeat in Division 2 to be demoted 2 divisions is no basis for re-selection. His run ins with umpires in Hong Kong have met with re-selection as well. Go figure.
The man has no class. When beaten twice last year while captaining his NY team in the nationals, he refused to shake hands with my team, NWR and the SWR. A prima donna, and spoiled brat.
He showed his lack of class again at the T20 Nationals when he was beaten again by Atlantic. He left the ground almost immediately with his entire team, who follow his leadership style. At captain of the National team, he should have been there to congratulate players who beat him and who performed well. He was absent.
Selectors and coach Lambert have the class to select a man of class and leadership to lead the National Team! It reflects on who you are!

TexanCricketer
on June 28, 2011, 16:10 GMT

What a joke this is. Who is Sew Shivnaraine? and Who is Clayton Lambert? Arn't these the same guys who made a 46 year old Asst. coach to play in a game and sit out the three fit young guys sit on the bench to serve the water? This nothing but the outright punishment for the CW player who is the highest scoring player for Team USA in last 5 years. Its time to get right people to select and manage team instead of puppets like Shiv and Lambert for Dainty and his mafia. Yes Charlie Javed was fit when he went on last trip where he can't run to reach for a ball to make a dolly catch? Sushil is a big striker of the ball one of the best player for any format of the game. Its a disgrace for a coach to say"Sushil Nadkarni, for me and the rest of the selectors, is an ODI player, a 50-over player," chairman of selectors Sew Shivnarine told ESPNcricinfo on Monday. "In T20 you've got to have fitness and you've got to be strong out there." Its nothing but the politics at the highest level.
Yogesh P

247cricketer
on June 28, 2011, 21:19 GMT

Bunch of old cricketers become selectors when they have old knowledge of the game. What made them drop Sushil from the team? They need to answer. It's all politics and it is a clear indication given to all players. The ground condition was so bad during the T20 in New Jersey. Who was responsible for it? Can't we have better ground conditions. And adding to it they drop key players from the team. Even Steve Massiah should have been dropped for bad captainship last year. Unfair selection for sure.

dummy4fb
on June 28, 2011, 23:14 GMT

Everyone else has said it all, Mark and Yogi in particular. The only thing I'll add is that Sushil is a complete cricketer in every sense of the word, and not having him in the side hurts the US chances- PERIOD.

The "lack of fitness" excuse is a joke.

dummy4fb
on June 29, 2011, 12:18 GMT

Sushil was a serious threat to Steve's Massiah's captaincy hence the easiest way to miitigate this risk is to get him out of the team. that's exactly what these jokers have done. I am also suprised at the exclusion of Ryan Corns from the team. Was there any reason for this? He definitely is the rising star of US cricket and did reasonably well in Hong Kong with the limited opportunities he got..

KrikFreak
on June 29, 2011, 14:54 GMT

So, really Asif Khan is left out because Shivnarine don't know him. Let's refresh his memory:

While Asif was the #2 wickettaker for the USA team in HongKong, and the 4th-highest wickettaker in the 20-20 Nationals, Ghous got 0 wickets on the tour of HongKong, and 0 wickets in the Nationals (!!)... and still got picked to the team as a spinner while Asif did not!